About Master’s Program,
The Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in Creative Writing is a 48-hour studio/academic course of study designed to advance and develop students’ intellectual and artistic abilities. The University of Alabama MFA Program has long been considered among the best in the nation, renowned for its robust visiting writers series, for its spirit of experimentation and flexibility (students may take workshops in any genre), and for housing the award-winning Black Warrior Review, which is edited and run entirely by graduate students. Students work closely with resident faculty and also take workshops and have manuscript consultations with visiting writers.
Master’s Program Degree Eligibility with GPA,
For nonnative language score requirements, see the UA Graduate School’s Supporting Documents page.
The minimum GPA to be considered for regular admission is 3.0. Students who do not meet these requirements, but who excel in other areas, may be considered for Admission with Permission to Continue.
No standardized admission test scores are required.
For all other programs, consult the Graduate School’s minimum requirements.
Master’s Funding Coverage,
Students admitted to the MFA Program are guaranteed full financial support for up to four years (although one can elect to graduate after three). Assistantships include a stipend paid over nine months (currently $15,930), and full payment of up to 15 credit hours of graduate tuition. With careful planning and an ambitious schedule, some students have found the funding and time generous enough to earn an additional master’s degree alongside the MFA.
For general information regarding student health coverage, see this page on University Sponsored Health Insurance.
First-year Graduate Assistants with fewer than 18 hours of prior graduate coursework in English will be assigned to work in the Writing Center, to serve as small-section discussion leaders for 200-level literature lecture courses, or be assigned other duties such as faculty research assistant.
In the second year and beyond, Graduate Assistants routinely teach two courses per semester. Beginning as an instructor of first-year writing, GA’s receive ongoing training and support from the department’s composition specialists. Later, GAs are eligible to request other courses across our undergraduate curriculum, such as literature surveys, advanced composition, and creative writing courses.
Application Requirement,
- Complete an online application form. All applicants must enter one of the following for the “Specialty Area” field: “Prose,” “Poetry,” or “Prose & Poetry”.
- Pay the application fee ($65 for U.S. residents, $85 for international students). Once steps 1 and 2 are completed, you will be assigned a Campus Wide Identification Number (CWID), which will enable you to log in to the Supporting Documents System to complete step 3. Applicants should complete steps 1 and 2 well before they are ready to upload supporting documents as it can take several days for the system to generate a CWID.
- Upload the following supporting documents/information:
- Statement of Purpose: Your statement should give us a sense of who you are, what you seek from a writing program, and how your interests connect to what the University of Alabama’s program offers.
- Writing Sample: For applicants in Prose, the writing sample should consist of 20-30 pages (fiction, nonfiction, or a combination of the two). For applicants in Poetry, the writing sample should consist of 10-20 pages of poetry. Applicants applying in Poetry & Prose should upload two separate writing samples, one in each genre.
- Names and institutional email addresses of three (3) referees who will submit letters of recommendation online via a link that will be sent to recommenders directly by the Graduate School. Please note that neither the Graduate School nor the Department of English can accept letters via Interfolio or Parchment.
- Unofficial transcripts from each institution of higher education at which you have completed 15 or more credit hours. Accepted applicants will be required to furnish official transcripts prior to enrolling.
Application Deadline,
Dec 01, 2025
Application Fee,
Pay the application fee ($65 for U.S. residents, $85 for international students).
